Defence
MALABAR-20

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the Exercise Malabar + its location)
What's the NEWS

• The 24^th edition of the MALABAR naval exercise is scheduled in two phases in November 2020.
• Phase 1 of the Exercise MALABAR 20 involving participation by Indian Navy (IN), United States Navy (USN), Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is set to commence off Visakhapatnam in Bay of Bengal from 03 to 06 November 2020.

Know! all about MALABAR

• MALABAR series of maritime exercises commenced in 1992 as a bilateral IN-USN exercise. JMSDF joined MALABAR in 2015.
• The 2020 edition will now witness participation of the RAN in this joint maritime exercise.
• Phase-1 of MALABAR 20 will witness participation of Indian Navy units with United States Ship (USS) John S McCain (Guided-missile destroyer), Her Majesty's Australian Ship (HMAS) Ballarat (long range frigates) with integral MH-60 helicopter, and Japan Maritime Self Defence Ship (JMSDF) Onami (Destroyer) with integral SH-60 helicopter.
• Indian Navy units participating in the exercise include destroyer Ranvijay, frigate Shivalik, Off Shore Patrol Vessel Sukanya, Fleet Support Ship Shakti and submarine Sindhuraj.
• In addition, Advanced Jet Trainer Hawk, long-range maritime patrol aircraft P-8I, Dornier maritime patrol aircraft, and helicopters will also be participating in the exercise.
• The exercise, being conducted as a ‘non-contact, at sea only' exercise in view of COVID-19 pandemic
• MALABAR 20 Phase 1 would witness complex and advanced naval exercises including surface, anti-submarine and anti-air warfare operations, cross deck flying, seamanship evolutions and weapon firing exercises.
• Phase 2 of MALABAR 20 is scheduled to be conducted in the Arabian Sea in mid-November 2020.

Defence
CDF Kenya - Week Long Visit to India

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about CDF Kenya first visit outside Africa) Mains ( GSII Bilateral relations)
What's the NEWS

• General Robert Kibochi, Chief of Defence Forces of Kenya is visiting India from 02 - 06 Nov 2020 on the invitation by the Ministry of Defence.

Know! more about the first ever visit

• India is the first country that the CDF Kenya is visiting outside of Africa
• The General Officer's visit comes at a time when the bilateral relationship between India and Kenya is poised for deeper engagement.
• Post visit of Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi to Kenya in 2016 and a reciprocal visit by H. E. President Kenyatta in 2017, the relationship has grown from strength to strength.
• Ongoing areas of defence cooperation include Capacity & Capability building, Counter Terrorism, UN Peace Keeping Operations, Medical health care and Cyber security.
• Considering that India and Kenya are mature democracies and have professional Armed Forces there is a lot of convergence of thought between the two nations.
• The visit will cement the already strong bilateral ties between the two countries and the two Armed Forces.

Government Schemes
Guidelines of PLI schemes to promote domestic production of bulk drugs and manufacturing of medical devices ‘Revised'

Relevance IN - Prelims ( all about PLI scheme) + Mains ( GS II government policies and interventions)
What's the NEWS

• Union Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and fertilizers has revised the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes for promoting domestic manufacturing of bulk drugs and medical devices keeping in view the suggestions and comments received from the industry.

Know! about the Production Linked Incentive scheme of the Department of Pharmaceuticals

• Accordingly ‘minimum threshold' investment requirement has been replaced by ‘committed investment' taking into account availability of technology choices which varies from product to product.

The Department of Pharmaceuticals earlier come out with the following two Production Linked Incentive schemes-

• Production Linked Incentive scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials, Drug Intermediates and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients in India
• Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Promoting Domestic Manufacturing of Medical Devices

Know! about the PLI scheme

• It is a part of the National Policy on Electronics, which would give incentives of 4-6 per cent to electronics companies which manufacture mobile phones and other electronic components and nano-electronic components
• According to the scheme, companies that make mobile phones which sell for Rs 15,000 or more will get an incentive of up to 6 per cent on incremental sales of all such mobile phones made in India.
• In the same category, companies which are owned by Indian nationals and make such mobile phones, the incentive has been kept at Rs 200 crore for the next four years.
• The PLI scheme will be active for five years with financial year (FY) 2019-20 considered as the base year for calculation of incentives.
• This means that all investments and incremental sales registered after FY20 shall be taken into account while computing the incentive to be given to each company.
• All electronic manufacturing companies which are either Indian or have a registered unit in India will be eligible to apply for the scheme.
• Any additional expenditure incurred by companies on plant, machinery, equipment, research and development and transfer of technology for manufacture of mobile phones and related electronic items will be eligible for the incentive scheme.
• However, all investment done by companies on land and buildings for the project will not be considered for any incentives or determine eligibility of the scheme.

India aims production-linked incentive schemes for 9-10 more sectors

• NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar said that India will soon introduce production-linked incentive schemes for nine to 10 sectors.
• This decision is aimed at encouraging local manufacturing. The government had already launched PLI schemes for mobile phones, medical devices, electronic manufacturing and pharmaceuticals.
• The objective of the scheme is to incentivise investors in this country to put up globally comparable capacity in scale and competitiveness.

Know! about the Indian pharmaceutical industry

• The Indian pharmaceutical industry is the third largest globally in terms of volume and contributes significantly to India's economic growth and export earnings.
• The Medical Devices industry is identified as a sunrise sector with great potential for diversification and employment generation.
• The Government of India has launched several initiatives to support the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices industry to reach their potential in the coming years.

Defence
Mission Sagar - II
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Mission Sagar)
What's the NEWS

• As part of ‘Mission Sagar-II', Indian Naval Ship Airavat entered Port Sudan on 02 November 2020.
• The Government of India is providing assistance to Friendly Foreign Countries to overcome natural calamities and COVID-19 pandemic, and towards the same INS Airavat is carrying a consignment of 100 Tonnes of food aid for the people of Sudan.

Know! about Mission Sagar - II

• Mission Sagar-II, follows the first ‘Mission Sagar' undertaken in May-June 2020, wherein India reached out to Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros, and provided food aid and medicines. As part of Mission Sagar-II, Indian Naval Ship Airavat will deliver food aid to Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea.
• Mission Sagar-II, is in line with the Prime Minister's vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region ‘SAGAR' and highlights the importance accorded by India to relations with her maritime neighbours and further strengthens the existing bond.
• The Indian Navy is progressing this mission in close coordination with the Ministries of Defence and External Affairs, and other agencies of the Government of India.

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